Physician&#39;s medicine-case.



' No. 859,817. PATENTEDJULY 9, 1907. Y

R. KERSBY. PHSIGIANS MEDICINE CASE.

APPLIOATION FILED 13110.22', 1905.

lllilllllllil N Nimm m UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE6 RICHARD KERSEY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO SAMUEL T. RICE, OF CIIATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, AND ONE-FOURTH TO IDA- M. KERSEY, OF LEX- INGTON, KENTUCKY.

PHYSICIANS MEDICINE-CASE.

Patented July 9, 1907.

'Application Eea December 22,1905. serial No. 293,032.

' medicine cases.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oi physicians medicine cases, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and eicient one, designed to contain medicine bottles, surgical instruments and various other articles, and provided with l means for holding inner and outer rows of bottles at the same elevation to insure compactness when the case is closed, and capable oi automatically elevating the inner rows of bottles and of simultaneously lowering the outer rows when the case is opened, whereby the labels of all the bottles will be exposed to view, so that any one of the bottles may be removed without touching the others or disturbing the other contents of of the case.

A further object oi the invention is to provide a medicine case of this character having means for preventing the bottles from tipping or tilting over when the case is opened, so that there will be no liability ofthe acids or other contents oi the bottles coming in contact with the Stoppers.

Another object oi the invention is to provide guards or shields for protecting the bottles at all times from the other contents of the case.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims, hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details oi construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingsz-Figure 1 is a perspective view ofk a physicians medicine case, constructed in accordance with this invention and shown open. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view oi the same, taken transversely of the oppositely movable bottle supports or carriers. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the case being closed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the case, the bottle supports or carriers being detached, and the guard or shield oi one section of the case being swung backward or outward to illustrate the arrangement of the lower antiiriction rollers. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the manner oi slidably connecting the ends oi the bottle supports or carriers and showing the arrangement of the upper antifriction rollers. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view ofthe outer bottle carrier or support. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the inner bottle carrier or support.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1, l designate sections of a physicians medicine case, which may be of any desired size, and the said sections are connected by a pintle rod 2, which preferably extends the entire length oi the case, and which also serves to connect a central or inner bottle support or carrier 3 to the hinged inner side edges of the sections 1 of the case. The inner or central support or carrier 3 consists preferably of a horizontal bottom or base 4 and a central longitudinal wall 5, which is spaced from the side edges of the bottom or base 4, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The bottom or base projects laterally from opposite sides of the central wall 5, and forms opposite ledges to receive the bottles 6. The bottles are held on the carrier or support by means of resilient clamps 7, constructed of spring wire or other suitable material' and extend-ing upward from the base or bottom 4 at the side edges thereof. The resilient clamps 7 are substantially U-shaped, being composed of vertical sides and a connecting top portion 8. The connecting top portion 8 iscurved to conform to the configuration of a bottle, and is bowed outwardly, as shown.

The central vertical wall 5 terminates short of the ends of the base, to which is secured a pair of depending substantially triangular plates 9, which form hinge members, and which are provided at their lower ends or apexes with eyes 10 for the reception of the pintle rod 2, whereby the inner or central bottle support or carrier is hingedly connected with the inner hinged sides oi the sections of the case.' When the case is opened, the inner bottle support or carrier will be raised to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and when the case is closed, the inner or central carrier or support will be lowered to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This is due to the change oi position of the inner side walls 11 and the bottoms oi the sections of the case, the inner side walls 11 being arranged in a horizontal position when the case is closed, and being changed to a vertical position when the case is opened.

The inneror central carrier or support receives an outer slidable carrier or support 12, composed of two sides and connecting top portions 13, which areprovided with inner recesses 14, receiving the ends of the central vertical Wall 5 oi the inner carrier or support, whereby the carriers or supports are slidably connected. Vertical bars 16 are arranged at the ends of the partition 5 to form enlarged terminal portions to slide in the recesses 14, but the inner carrier or support may be of any other preferred form, and the several parts of the physicians medicine case may be constructed of any suitable material, as will be readily understood. Each side of the outer carrier or support is provided with an inner vertical wall 17 and a horizontal bottom of base 18, which extends outward from the inner wall, and which has mounted upon it bottle clamps 19, constructed similar to those heretofore described and arranged to engage the outer bottles 20. The sides of the outer support or carrier are also provided with suitable end posts 21, to which the connecting top-pieces 13 are secured. The outer faces of the end posts and the connecting top pieces 13 are covered by face plates 22, but the top pieces, the plates and the posts may be one integral structure it desired. The inner side walls l1 of the sections of the case are provided at their hinged edges with opposite cleats or strips 23, which are substantially triangular in cross section, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and which serve to space the sides of the outer support or carrier from the walls 11.

The inner bottle support or carrier is provided at the ends of the bottom or base 4 with antifriction rollers or wheels 24, arranged in pairs and mounted in suitable recesses of the said bottom or base and projecting outward therefrom a sufficient distance to receive the adjacent faces of the sides of the outer bottle support or carrier. These upper antifriction rollers 24 enable the bottle carriers or supports to slide on each other rictionlessly. The sections of the case are provided adjacent to the inner` hinged side walls ll with bars or cleats 25, on which are mounted lower antifriction rollers 26, which receive and support the sides of the outer bottle support or carrier, and which enable the same to be raised and lowered in the closing and opening of the case with a minimum amount of friction. The lower antifriction rollers are preferably mounted in suitable brackets 27, secured in recesses of the cleats, but they may be applied to the cleats in any other desired manner.

1n order to protect the bottles from the surgical instruments and other contentsot the medicine case, a pair of hinged guards or shields 28 is provided. Each shield, which consists of an oblong board or plate, is designed to be constructed oi light material, and is connected to the adjacent section of the case by means of hinges 29 secured to the guards or shields and to cleats or bars 30. These guards or shields, which are adapted to protect the bottles at all times, are yieldably held in engagement with the outer support by means of opposite springs 31, extending across the bars or cleats 30 and projecting through recesses or notches 32 of the hinged edges of the guards or shields, and engaging the same thereat. The upper walls of the notches 32 are inclined, and the free engaging ends of the spring are curved, and are arranged to engage the said inclined walls for forcing the guards or shields inwardly. The guards or shields are also provided at their upper edges with opposite hooks 33, forming catches for engaging shoulders 34 of the outer bottle support or carrier, whereby both the inner and outer bottle supports or carriers are maintain ed in a vertical position when the case is open in order to prevent the acids and the other contents of the bottles from coming in contact with the stoppers. When the cas'e is closed, the catches rise out of engagement with the shoulders, and do not require any hand manipulation when the case is either opened or closed, the parts being entirely automatic in their operation. When the guards or shields are swung backward out of engagement with the outer bottle support or carrier, the latter may be readily removed from the case, as it is loosely supported by the sides or sections of the same, and it is adaptedl to slide upward freely on the inner bottle support or carrier.

It will be seen that, when the medicine case is closed, the inner and outer bottles are compactly arranged at the same elevation, and that when the case is opened, the outer bottles are lowered, and the inner bottles are elevated to expose the labels of all the bottles, so that any one of them may be removed' from the case without disturbing the other contents of the same. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the guards or shields,

which protect the bottles, also serve to maintain the same in a vertical position vwhen the case is open, and that as the bottles are compactly arranged at the center and back of the case, the latter may be constructed of any desired size to enable surgical instruments and other articles to be carried, and suitable compartments may be provided for the same without interfering with the operation of the bottles in the opening and closing of the case. Also the case may be employed for a variety of other purposes, such as for carrying samples, as it will enable a large number of samples to be compactly arranged, and will expose all of the various sainples and afford ready access to the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a case of the class described, the combination with two hinged sections, of means connected with and operated by the sections for supporting inner and outer rows of bottles or other receptacles at the same elevation when the case is closed, and for elevating the inner bottles or receptacle and lowering the outer ones and supporting both the inner and outer bottles in a vertical position when the case is opened, whereby all of the bottles or receptacles will be exposed to viewY 2. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of .a support or carrier connected with the sections at the hinged edges thereof, whereby it will be raised and lowered by the opening and closing movements of the said sections, and a second vertically movable carrier or support operated by the said sections and simultaneously movable in the opposite direction to the first mentioned carrier or support.

3. The combination with a case having hingedsections, of an inner carrier or support connected with the sections at the hinged edges thereof, and an outer carrier or support `slidable on the inner support or carrier and arranged to be supported by the said sections at the bottoms thereof, said inner and outer supports or carriers being movable in reverse directions when the case is opened or closed.

4. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of inner and outer carriers or supports, the inner carrier being hinged to the case, and the outer support or carrier being slidable on the inner one, and opposite guards arranged at the outer support or carrier and maintaining both of the supports or carriers in a vertical position when the case is open.

5. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of inner and outer carriers or supports, the inner `carrier being hinged to the case, and the outer support or carrier being slidable on the inner one, and opposite guards hinged to the sections of the case and yieldably held in engagement with the outer support or carrier.

6. The combination with a case having hinged section of an inner support or carrier hinged to the case, an outer support or carrier slidable on the inner support or carrier and simultaneously movable in the opposite directions, and means for detachably engaging the outer support o1` carrier when the case is open for maintaining the supports or carriers in a vertical position.

7. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of an inner support or carrier hinged to the case, an outer support or carrier slidable on the inner support or carrier and simultaneously movable in the opposite direction, and

means for automatically engaging the outer support or carrier when the case is opened, whereby the said supports or carriers will be held in aj vertical position.

8. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of an inner support or carrier hinged to the case, an outer support or carrier slidable on the inner support or carrier, and means for automatically engaging the outer support or carrier when the case is open, whereby the said supports or carriers will be held in a vertical position, said means being also arranged to be automatically released by the closing movement of the sections of the case.

9, The combination with a case having hinged sections,

' of an inner support or carrier hinged to the case, an outer support or carrier slidable on the inner support or carrier, and opposite guards or shields provided With catches arranged to automatically engage the outer support or carrier when the case is opened and being carried out of such engagement by the closing movement of the case.-

10. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of an inner support hinged to the case, an outer support or carrier slidable on the inner support, hinged guards or shields mounted on the sections and provided withY catches for engaging the outer support or carrier, and springs for holding the guards or shields normally in engagement with the outer support or carrier.

11. The combination with a case having` hinged sections, of an inner support or carrier, and au outer support or carrier slidably connected with the inner support or carrier and being removable therefrom, said supports or carriers being simultaneously moved vertically in opposite directions by the sections of the case, whereby when the case is opened one carrier will be raised and the other lowered.

12. The combination with a case, of inner and outer supports slidably connected, the outer support being composed of opposite sides spaced apart to receive the inner support, means for connecting the sides and each side being provided with vertical walls and projecting bottle receiving ledges.

13. The combination with a case, of inner and outer supports, the outer support being composed of opposite bottle receiving sides spaced apart to receive the inner support, and connecting portions rigid with the said sides and having guiding means for the inner support, which moves through the outer support,

14. The combination with a case, of inner and outer oppositely movable supports, the inner support being hinged to the case, and the outer support being slidable on the inner support, opposite antifriction devices mounted on the inner support and receiving the outer support, and antifriction devices mounted on the case and receiving and actuating the said outer support. I

15. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of bottle carriers or supports connected with the case and moved vertically in opposite directions by the said sections when the case is eitheropened or closed.

16. The combination with a case having hinged sections, of bottle supports orcarriers slidable on each other and connected With the ease, said bottle supports or carriers being moved vertically in opposite directions by the sections of the case when the latter is either opened or closed.

17. The combination with a case, of inner and outer b ottle supports or carriers simultaneouslyA slidable in opposite directions, and means for raising one of the supports or carriers and for lowering the other when the case is open. p

18. The combination With a case, of an outer support or car-rier composed of upright sides rigidly connected with each other, and an inner support or carrier movable through the outer support o1' carrier, and means for op- In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD KERSEY.

Witnesses:

OSCAR G. Knnsny, Tnos. W. Rosn.

erating the supports or carriers when the case is opened or 

